The turmoil on the Lunar Star had temporarily subsided, but the shock, fury, and humiliation in Xi He and Chang Xi's hearts lingered for a long time. The sisters faced each other in silence as the moon osmanthus tree cast down its clear radiance, unable to dispel the shadows between their brows.
"Elder Sister, we absolutely cannot let this matter rest!" Chang Xi gripped the moon wheel in her hand tightly, her fingertips turning faintly white from the force. "Di Jun dared to come to our door today, speaking so frivolously and behaving so outrageously. If we swallow our anger, won't we be at his mercy from now on? We must never agree to this Heavenly Marriage!"
Xi He's gaze was firm as she nodded. "Exactly. We cultivators seek freedom and ease, living as our hearts desire. If we gave ourselves to such an arrogant tyrant merely for merit and fortune, how would that differ from imprisoning ourselves? Even if it is the Predestined number of the Heavenly Dao, people still have their own hearts and choices! Come, let us go find Fellow Daoist Nuwa at once, explain the stakes clearly, and ask her to uphold justice for us!"
Having made up their minds, the two goddesses wasted no time. Riding Lunar Star escape lights, they left the Moon Palace and headed straight for Nuwa's cultivation grounds near Mount Buzhou.
Nuwa's cultivation grounds were suffused with the Qi of Creation. All around stood clay figures she had molded—birds, beasts, humans with serpent bodies, and countless other forms—each containing a faint spark of creation. She was studying a clay figure modeled after Pangu, yet somehow lacking his spirit, when she suddenly sensed two chilly yet urgent auras approaching.
"Hmm? Xi He and Chang Xi?" Nuwa was somewhat surprised and rose to greet them. The two Lunar Star goddesses had arrived together. Their faces remained peerlessly beautiful, but their brows were shrouded in anger and grievance that could not be dispelled, utterly unlike their usual cold and composed bearing.
"Elder Sister Nuwa!" Chang Xi was more impatient by nature. The moment she descended from the clouds, she could not help but speak, her voice carrying a hint of sobbing. "You must uphold justice for us!"
Xi He was comparatively steady, but her face was also frost-cold. After Nuwa invited them into the hall and set up a soundproof barrier, she recounted everything in exhaustive detail: how "Di Jun" had suddenly descended upon the Lunar Star that day, how he had made outrageous remarks, acted contemptuously, forced them without restraint, even attempted improper acts, and finally threatened them outright.
By the time she reached the most infuriating parts, even Xi He's usually calm voice trembled slightly. Chang Xi's eyes had turned red, clearly wronged and enraged to the extreme.
Nuwa listened quietly, her delicate brows gradually drawing together. Though she was not exceptionally close to Xi He and Chang Xi, she knew the two goddesses possessed noble characters and would never fabricate accusations or stir up trouble without cause. Moreover, the deeds committed by the "Di Jun" they described were truly disgraceful. They bore no resemblance whatsoever to the bearing expected of a Heavenly Emperor of the Dao. Instead, he sounded like... an upstart drunk on power?
"What you two sisters have said—is it true?" Nuwa asked gravely. "Fellow Daoist Di Jun... truly acted in such a manner?"
"Every word is true!" Xi He declared resolutely. "My sister and I are willing to swear upon our Great Dao! If even half a sentence is false, may we suffer backlash from the Lunar Star and never be reborn for all eternity!"
Chang Xi nodded forcefully as well. "Elder Sister Nuwa, Di Jun's expression and tone at the time could not possibly have been feigned! He did not regard my sister and me as people at all. He saw us only as tools to seize merit and flaunt his authority! How could we entrust our lives to such a Dao companion?"
Nuwa fell silent. She possessed the Red Embroidered Ball and governed the marriages of Heaven and Earth, so she had her own unique understanding of love and fate. She had originally believed that Di Jun joining with the Lunar Star goddesses, harmonizing yin and yang, would be a fine thing and accord with the Heavenly Dao. Thus, when Di Jun had invited her to preside over the Heavenly Marriage, she had not refused. But if Xi He and Chang Xi spoke the truth, then even the most superficial foundations of this Heavenly Marriage—"mutual affection" and "mutual respect"—had vanished completely. All that remained was coercion and calculation.
Forcing such a union would not only fail to harmonize yin and yang, but might instead plant the seeds of even greater disaster. It accorded with neither her Dao of Creation nor the principles of marriage.
"Though the Red Embroidered Ball governs marriage, it is not a tool for forcing twisted vines together." Nuwa gently stroked the Red Embroidered Ball hidden within her sleeve, sensing the laws of marriage contained within it. She had already made her decision. Raising her head, she looked at the two goddesses, who were filled with expectation and grievance, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Rest assured, you two sisters. If Fellow Daoist Di Jun truly behaved so disgracefully, then his actions are not those of a worthy match. Since this Heavenly Marriage is not what you desire, and the fault lies with him, I, Nuwa, will never aid a tyrant by presiding over such an unwilling marriage that borders on forced matrimony!"
She paused, then continued, "I will send word to Di Jun at once, make the matter clear, and return the betrothal gifts bestowed by the Heavenly Court on behalf of you two! The agreement for the Heavenly Marriage ends here! If he has any dissatisfaction, he can come argue the matter with me himself!"
Hearing that Nuwa would not only refuse to preside over the ceremony but would also help them return the betrothal gifts and cut off the matter completely, the taut strings in Xi He and Chang Xi's hearts finally relaxed. Genuine gratitude appeared in their eyes.
"Thank you, Elder Sister Nuwa, for seeing the truth and upholding justice for us sisters!" The two sisters simultaneously gave Nuwa a Daoist salute.
Meanwhile, in the Thirty-three Heavens, within Lingxiao Palace.
Di Jun was discussing the Heavenly Court's expansion and how to deal with the Witch Tribe with Taiyi, Kunpeng, and the other core members of the Demon Clan. He was in high spirits, feeling that with the Heavenly Marriage imminent and merit soon to be bestowed upon him, the Demon Clan's fortune would surely rise to another level. Suddenly, his heart stirred as he received a message from Nuwa through divine sense.
At first, there was still a smile on his face. But as he listened, his expression gradually stiffened, then turned livid. Finally, he slammed his palm down on the imperial desk and shot to his feet!
"Absurd! Shameless!" Di Jun trembled with rage as True Solar Fire leaked uncontrollably from his body, scorching the cloud-bricks beneath his feet until they sizzled. "When have I ever gone to the Lunar Star? When have I ever said such nonsense or committed such frivolous acts?! This is slander! A frame-up! And now... now they are returning the betrothal gifts?!"
Taiyi, Kunpeng, and the other upper echelons of the Demon Clan were all stunned, unable to make sense of it. Once Di Jun forcibly suppressed his fury and roughly relayed the contents of Nuwa's message, an uproar immediately erupted in the hall.
"Such a thing actually happened?"
"His Majesty would never act in such a way!"
"Someone must have impersonated His Majesty and committed such vile deeds in order to sabotage the Heavenly Marriage! Now they even want to return the betrothal gifts—they are tearing all pretenses apart!"
Taiyi frowned deeply and said in a grave voice, "Big Brother, this matter is suspicious. It would not be easy for someone to perfectly imitate your aura and appearance and deceive the two goddesses, Xi He and Chang Xi. Could the Witch Tribe be behind this? Or perhaps... that Xuan Wazi, who has always opposed our Demon Clan?"
Di Jun's face was so dark it seemed water could drip from it. Naturally, he too had thought of Xuan Wazi, that "anomaly" who had repeatedly opposed him. But without evidence, how could mere speculation convince Nuwa and the Lunar Star goddesses? Furthermore, Nuwa's tone in her letter had been resolute. She even intended to return the betrothal gifts, showing that she fully believed their account!
"Fellow Daoist Nuwa's letter was firm in its stance. She has explicitly refused to preside over the Heavenly Marriage and intends to return the betrothal gifts." Di Jun took a deep breath, struggling to calm his surging blood and qi. "I will go explain in person at once!"
However, when he and Taiyi hurried to Nuwa's cultivation grounds to clear up the misunderstanding, they were refused entry. Nuwa did not appear, merely sending out a cold divine message.
"Fellow Daoist Di Jun, Xi He and Chang Xi have already made the truth of the matter clear. I believe they would not falsely accuse you without cause. I have sealed the betrothal gifts on your behalf, and you may send someone to retrieve them. The matter of the Heavenly Marriage ends here and need not be mentioned again. Please return, Fellow Daoist."
No matter how Di Jun explained himself, even offering to confront Xi He and Chang Xi face-to-face, Nuwa remained unmoved. Clearly, in her heart, she had already chosen to trust the two goddesses who had been "wronged." To sever the karma completely, she was determined to return even the betrothal gifts, leaving not the slightest room for compromise.
In the end, Di Jun and Taiyi could only return in defeat, carrying their pent-up humiliation and fury along with the returned betrothal gifts, which felt like a slap across Di Jun's face. News that the Heavenly Marriage had been unilaterally canceled and even the betrothal gifts returned did not immediately spread throughout the Primordial World, but it had already stirred considerable waves among the upper circles.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows and concealing himself with the Chaos Bead, Xuan Wazi had watched Di Jun's entire humiliating ordeal from afar. At this moment, he was laughing so hard that he slapped his thigh.
[Ding! It has been detected that the Heavenly Marriage has been substantively interrupted due to the host's scheme. Nuwa has refused to preside over it and assisted in returning the betrothal gifts, while Xi He and Chang Xi have resolutely resisted!] [Mission "Breaking Up the Lovebirds (Heavenly Marriage Edition)" completion: 100%!] [Mission complete! Rewards distributed: Innate Supreme Treasure "God-Slaying Spear" (fragments reassembled) has been stored in the system space! Cultivation increased to the late stage of Hunyuan Golden Immortal! Innate Enlightenment Tea replenished to 99 cubic meters! Unfilial Points +1,000,000 (including stage rewards)!] [Current Unfilial Points: 1,500,000 (previous advances repaid)!] [Note: The host successfully made the Heavenly Emperor take the blame, had a future Saint assist in rejecting the marriage, and chilled the goddesses' hearts—all in one stroke. The host's Not Being a Person realm has reached perfection!]
Feeling the surging increase in his magical power, the dark-red spear in the system space that radiated boundless Malevolent Energy and was wrapped in destructive Dao patterns, as well as the Enlightenment Tea that could nearly fill a small pond, Xuan Wazi grinned from ear to ear.
"Done and dusted! Little Brother Di Jun, even your betrothal gifts have been returned. You've given up now, right? Hehe, next, let's see how you clean up this mess!"
Humming a little tune in delight, he melted into the void, hiding both his achievements and his name. Meanwhile, within the Heavenly Court, Di Jun's roars would likely soon echo through Lingxiao Palace once more.
Before you continue